Shield of Aeneas - Virgil (lines 21-40)
- Created by: Holly Cavanna
- Created on: 04-04-13 16:47
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- Shield of Aeneas - Virgil (lines 21-40)
- ignipotens = Vulcan. He, being a god, knows about the future history of Rome. Aeneas does not.
- Ascanius is Aeneas' son.
- "haec inter" -'between these lines' - Virgil is saying this moment is the most important in Rome's history.
- Virgil describes the shield as a still picture but also a moving event.
- Notice how he appeals to different senses (sight ("aurea", "caenula") hearing ("spumabant", "fervere") touch ("verrebant", "secabant"))
- Actia Bella - the sea battle took place in 31BC
- the name Augustus... Caesar encloses the line and his army -representing his control
- lines 30-33 include a striking and patriotic image of Augustus leading his fleet - the flames suggest supernatural forces
- Virgil makes it seem as though all the Romans were on Augustus' side, however this was actually a civl war and many Romans were on Antony's side
- He also claims the Roman gods were all on Augustus' side
- Sidus is an allusion to a comet which appeared at Julius Caesar's funeral and supposedly showed he had become a god.
- Agrippa = Augustus' main military general
- Aurora = the goddess of the dawn
- Virgil makes it look as though Antony's army was made up of barbarians/Egyptians. PROPOGANDA.
- "ope" is negative here, they are extravagant,
- Bactra = a place in Asia
- "Aegyptia coniunx" = Cleopatra [lack of name shows contempt]
- note also use of parenthesis for "nefas" (put in brackets to express Virgil's opinion.)
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